Loud and Proud

In 1999, President Bill Clinton officially acknowledged June as national "Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.“ Later (10 whole years later) President Barack Obama declared June to be ”LGBT Pride Month,“ and continued marking the occasion every year of his presidency, through June of 2016. Skip ahead five years, and for 2021, President Joe Biden has recognized June as ”LGBTQ+ Pride Month.“

The words and letters may have changed, but what remains the same is that, for many in our community, June is the month when rainbow flags fly a little higher, achievements are marked and setbacks are mourned, and year after year, the celebrations just keep getting more fabulous.

Here are some of the ways that local folks are marking Pride Month 2021.

LGBT Q&A

LGBTQ Connection presents a youth led question-and-answer panel for queer youth and their parents, on Friday, June 11, 5:30-7 p.m. The panelists will include queer teen youth and parents who identify as queer. For information, visit SonomaCountyPride.org

SUNDAY FRIENDS AND FITNESS

Every Sunday throughout June, a different fitness-related activity if planned. Next up, on Sunday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., its a family friendly hike through Foothills Park in Windsor, led by naturalist C.L. Teravainen, and hosted by North Bay LGBTQI+ Families. On Sunday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., be out on the water at at Santa Rosa’s Spring Lake for an aquatic Pride Paddle, hosted by Alexis P Holmes and Sonoma County Regional Parks. Then, on Sunday, June 27, join Petaluma’s J.T. Bymaster for an hour of soul-soothing somatic-oriented therapeutic movement at Andy’s Unity Park in Santa Rosa, beginning at 10 a.m. Bymaster is a manual, movement, and process-oriented therapist and somatic educator. Find out more at SonomaCountyPride.org.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN MOVIE NIGHT

Join Master of Ceremonies Jan Wahl for a sing-along screening of the classic musical “The Wizard of Oz,” on Saturday, June 19, at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park. Doors open at 7 p.m., dinner starts at 7:45 p.m. and the movie screens outdoors at 8:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by US Bank, Sonoma County Pride and Graton Resort & Casino. Find out more at SonomaCountyPride.org.

DRAG ME TO THE RIVER - DRAG BRUNCH

On Sunday, June 27, at 12:30 p.m., it’s a special day on the beach (in Petaluma!) as the Sous Sisters present Drag Me to The River: a Drag Brunch & Benefit for Sonoma County Pride. It takes place outdoors at the new Grand Central Petaluma (226 Weller St.). The event includes a fancy brunch and a full-on bells-and-whistles drag show. For information and tickets, visit SonomaCountyPride.org.

For the full calendar of Pride Month events, visit Sonomacountypride.org/events-new.